A man has been jailed for 21 months for an attack on his sister and her estranged husband.

Martin Dobb, 33, of Tai’r Gelli in Blaenau Ffestiniog , was said to have been high on drink and drugs at the time.

Mold Crown Court heard today how he went around to their home to check if everything was alright.

A fire engine was parked outside because of a bonfire in the garden.

But he ended up with his hands around his sister’s throat and she was said to have lost consciousness when she was kicked.

Her husband was struck with a piece of wood, said prosecuting barrister Jade Tufail.

Martin Dobb, 33, of Tai’r Gelli in Blaenau Ffestiniog, was jailed for 21 months at Mold on January 18, 2018, for attacking his sister and her estranged husband.
Martin Dobb

Dobb admitted assaulting his sister Carol Evans and wounding her husband Ian Evans.

In addition to the jail sentence, Judge Rhys Rowlands made a five-year restraining order not to approach them or to say anything about them on social media.

The judge said the victims were separated, but Mr Evans was there at the time helping her out because they were in the process of selling the house.

“You turned up and wanted to know what was going on between them,” he told Dobb.

Judge Rowlands said that Dobb was “spoiling for a fight” and he pushed his sister to the floor.

She fell heavily and he was above her with his hands around her throat.

He had kicked her and she lost consciousness.

Her husband went to her assistance but the defendant pushed him and he fell over a wall and was hit with a piece of wood.

It was alleged that he had been struck three or four times.

The court heard Dobb had a number of previous convictions, including for violence.

Miss Tufail said the sister ended up with injuries to the jaw and chest, her throat was swollen and she had swelling and bruising to her body and limbs.

Her husband had been left with wounds to the head.

In a victim impact statement, Mrs Evans said it was made all the worse by the fact that it was her own brother who had been responsible.

When Dobb was arrested, he was extremely intoxicated and claimed he had acted in a limited way in self-defence.

He had pleaded not guilty and a trial was planned, but he then entered acceptable pleas.

Defending barrister Sarah Yates said he saw a fire engine and went to see if everyone was OK.

Dobb was shocked to find his sister’s husband there and an altercation got out of hand.

“He accepts that he acted unlawfully,” she said.

At the time, he had been drinking and taking heroin.

Since his arrest, he had spent six months on remand, been on various courses, had done everything he could to get himself “clean” so that he would be able to focus on his partner and his two children on his release, said Ms Yates.